1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bodily waste collection system that uses a noninvasive method of adhering an apparatus in the form of a bag to a person and has a self-contained collection tube for removing gas, solid or liquid body waste products collected from a peri-anal or stoma of the person to a suction device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bedridden patients in hospitals, elderly in nursing homes, and others may have certain medical conditions in which it is necessary to collect and dispose of fecal matter and other bodily discharged waste matters. A conventionally known method for this purpose is an indwelling system wherein a tube is inserted into a patient's rectum. However, due to the invasive nature of this method, there are many drawbacks. First, a doctor's order is required to perform this procedure. Additionally, this method may not be suitable when a patient is experiencing rectum bleeding and can be uncomfortable to the patient. The method also makes it more difficult to determine whether a medical concern such as rectal bleeding is occurring.
Fecal collection bags are also known for the collection and ultimately the disposal of anally discharged waste matters. Fecal bags are advantageous in some regards over indwelling systems in that they are adhesively attached to the peri-anal area of a person without having any component thereof being inserted into the rectum. As such, a nurse can perform this task without first obtaining a doctor's order and the procedure is less costly than an indwelling system. There is also less risk to the person as the procedure is not invasive and does not interfere with determining whether the person is experiencing rectal bleeding.
Notwithstanding, fecal bags have some inherent disadvantages. First, the method of emptying the bag is to remove the bag from the patient and manually push fecal and other matter out of the bag. Needless to say, this is a mal-odorous and unpleasant task.
Another problem is that waste matter collected in the fecal bag and associated gases may irritate a person's skin. Also, as fecal bags must be frequently removed from the body for cleaning, the peri-anal region may become irritated by constant removal and reattachment of the adhesively mounted bags. Fecal bags also may occasionally leak or otherwise loose their seal to the person thereby causing an odor nuisance or mess. Capture matter and the generated gases can perpetuate possible leakage by breaking down the adhesive contact between the fecal bag and person.
An example of a fecal collector device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,397, to La Gro. The fecal collector includes a bag made of elastomeric heat-sealable film having an opening for receiving fecal discharge and a thin attachment patch having a central opening in register with the opening of the bag. Other patents illustrative of the art of fecal collectors adapted for peri-anal attachment include U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,807, to Millenbach; U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,093 to Fell; U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,733 to Sanidas; U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,898 to Jensen; U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,384 to Temple; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,827 to Temple.
A similar device to a fecal bag is an ostomy bag. An ostomy bag is another type collection bag used to capture bodily waste products, but wherein the waste products are being passed through a stoma. During a surgical procedure known as an ostomy, a portion of the colon is attached to a bodily opening formed in the abdominal wall referred to as a stoma. The most common types of ostomy include colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy, depending on what part of the intestines or the bladder is removed. The stoma does not have a sphincter muscle for contraction and closing the bodily opening; as a result, some form of device, such as an ostomy bag, is required to be worn over the stoma to collect bodily waste products and to retain them until the bag can be removed and cleaned or replaced. An ostomy bag has many of the same disadvantages as described in regards to the aforementioned fecal bag.
Various improvement have been made to conventional ostomy bags in an attempt to overcome their various disadvantages. One such example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,037, to Fenton, which describes an ostomy pouch having a fluid distribution tube connected to a source of cleansing fluid for cleaning the pouch. Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,408, to Lutz, which describes a drainage system for a urostomy bag having an external drainage tube with a connector at one end and a clamp at the opposite discharge end; U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,447, to Barth, which discloses a irrigator for colostomy patients having a drainage line connected to a bag and a pump connected to an air chamber for pressurizing the bag; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,325, to Fundock, which is directed to an ostomy bag having a hose coupled to an opening for venting purposes. Notwithstanding, ongoing advancements in the art, the problems of odor, waste removal from the bag, handling of a soiled bag and patient health and comfort persist.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for continued improvement to fecal and ostomy bags. In particular, there is a need in the art for a bodily waste collection system that is non-invasive and automatically-emptying. Additionally, there is a need in the art of a bodily waste collection system that may be applied by a nurse without requiring a doctor's order and does not interfere with observing whether a person has rectal bleeding. Further, there is a need in the art for a bodily waste collection system that reduces odors, leakages and person discomfort as compared to conventional devices. With an objective towards overcoming and avoiding problems associated with conventional fecal and ostomy devices, the following described noninvasive bodily waste collection system has been developed.